Operator&#39;s chair for barbers or dentists



Feb. 21, 1950 J. A. PULLEN 2,498,004

OPERATOR1s CHAIR FOR ARBERS OROENTISTS Filed April 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 21, 1950 J. A. PULLEN OPERATORS CHAIR FOR BARBERS 0R DENTISTS 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1946 Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE .zneaooeiV OPERATORS CHAIR FOR BARBERS R DENTISTS 3 Claims.

This invention relates to chairs for use by barbers, dentists and beauty-parlor operators.

In the work of the barber, dentist and beauty parlor operator, it is customary for the patrons to remain seated while the person working on them remains standing, thus placing an additional strain upon his feet and legs which is quite tiring. The necessity for standing for long hours each day has caused many such workers to have foot trouble which in turn has limited the amount of time they can work each day, and in some cases has compelled them to cease the practice of their vocation altogether, and to work at something which would not require so much time to be spent on their feet.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide means whereby a barber, dentist or beauty parlor operator may perform his work while remaining seated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seat for the barber or other-worker, which is easily traversable around the patron without the need for the barber leaving his seat at all to traverse the seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a seat having safety means preventing its being tipped over while in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seat for the barber, which is adjustable in height and in distance from the patron seated in the patrons chair, so that barbers may position themselves to their own satisfaction relative to the patron.

Other objects and `advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved barber seat.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the seat shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan View showing the base track in fragment, and the traction wheels and axles thereon, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section of the hold clutch and back-and-forth traversing gears.

As shown, there is a base 2 resting on the floor around the barber patrons chair to provide a track for supporting and guiding the barbers scat as it moves around the patron. The base 2 is preferably formed of cast metal, and has a number of curved grooves formed therein. There is the outside track groove 4 for supporting and guiding outer wheel 6, and inside track groove Cil 8 for supporting and guiding the two inner wheels IIJ and I2. The Wheels 6 and IIJ are rotatable on transverse axle I4, the axle having a bifurcation IB on which is rotatablethe wheel I2. A seat platform plate I8 is carried on upright support columns or posts 20 secured at their lower ends to the axle shafts I4 or I6 beneath them.

The barbers seat 22 is provided with a downward extension forming a seat support post 24 slidable in a bearing 2B depending from the platform plate I8 which has an axial aperture in alignment with the bore in the bearing 2B so as to permit the post 24 to extend downward through the aperture into the bearing bore. A handle 28 turns a set screw extending laterally through the wall of the bearing 26 so as to bear against and engage tightly with the post 24 when the seat 22 isfmoved to the desired elevation, thus holding the seat against vertical movement when desired.

The seat 22 has a main body portion 30 with cushion 32 thereon and back rest upright members 34 with back cushion 36 bridging across the upper portion of the members 34, the uprights 34 being secured at their lower ends to the main body portion 30 of the seat by screws 38. The seat 22 has a base portion 40 which rests upon seat support post 24 and upon which the main body portion of the seat is supported. As shown, the main body portion 30 and the base portion 40 of the seat 22 are preferably relatively movable. Thus, means is provided moving the seat portion 30 to the right or left as seen in Figure 1. For this purpose, a pair ofshafts 42 and 44 arerotatably journaled in base portion 40 of the seat, and they each carry fast on the shafts rotatable pinions or gear Wheels 46, there being two pinions on each shaft. Shaft 42 also has a crank 4B at its rearward end by which the shaft and pinions may be turned. On the underside of the main body portion 30 ofthe seat are carried a pair of spaced parallel gear racks 50 and 52 disposed at right angles to the axes of the shafts 42 and 44, thus bridging across the shafts and being positioned so each rack serves as a track in which one pinion on each shaft engages. By tuning the crank 48, the result is that `the main body portion 30 of the seat moves to the left or the right as seen in Figure 1, depending upon the direction of turning of the crank, and th'e barber or other user of the seat is enabled to move himself closer to or further away from the patron, for most efficient work. l

For additional -ease in raising or lowering the seat, the post 24 may be provided with a toothed gear rack and the housing 26 vmay contain a gear wheel engaging the rack, the height of the seat being changed conveniently without the operator leaving his seat by merely turning the handle 28 for the purpose of turning the gear wheel and hence elevating or lowering the seat, a paw] or other holding device being provided for maintaining the elevation once adjusted.

The base 2 isalso provided with a slot 54 enlarged at 56 for the reception of the enlarged lower end 58 `of a steadying post 60 secured at its upper end 62 to the seat platform plate I8. This arrangement prevents accidentally tipping over the barbers seat as it is being moved about the patron. Bristles G4, secured to the underside of the enlargement 58 serve to brush out any debris which may drop into the slot 54, as the seat traverses about the patron.

The base 2 also has another slot 66 in which is disposed a toothed gear rack 68. A handle 'l0 has a hand grip 'l2 at its upper end and has a transverse bore "M in 'its lower end through which extends the axle shaft I4, the lower bored end of the handle 'l0 having an extension to 'I6 as shown through which theaxle shaft Ill also eX- tends. Theextehsion 'I6 has a bifurcated downward extension T8 the bifurcations of which extend around the depending shank 80 of a member 32 pivoted at its upper end on pivot pin 84 as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The lower end 86 of the member 82 engages into the spaces between adjacent teeth of the rack 68. Movement of the lhandle lll by the barber causes the seat to traverse the groove or slot 66, thus enabling the barber to move about the patron without leaving his seat; the engagement of the member 82 with the rack 68 also serving to hold the barbers seat in position as desired.

v The base '2 is preferably formed in an arcuate shape to extend through an arc of about 270 degrees around the oor base member of the barber chair in which the patron sits, the base 2 not extending around the front of the pa.- trons seat, all the slots in the base extending around the length of the base member, which becomes substantially tangent to the floor base of the patrons seat near both ends of the arcuate base 2. A horizontal member 88 'is secured at its ends tothe uprights 2B to form a foot rest for the barber or other Vuser of the seat. A pan 90, formed of sheet metal or other suitable material, is secured across the two uprights 20 on the lright side of Figure l as shown, to catch cut hair, dust and other debris as vit falls, thus aiding in keeping the floor clean. If desired, a large brush may be carried on and secured to the underside of the frame so as the seat traverses the base `2 the broom or brush sweeps it clean. The base `2 is conveniently secured to the iioor by means of screws such as at 92. The vwheels may be swiveled yon their 'axles if desired to make them conform more easily-'to the tra'c'k curvature for smoother movement.

The seat upon which the operator sits may of course be v'constructed with 'a vertical swivel to enable the operator to turn about through a lcomplete circle of 360 degrees if desired, 'thus making the chair particularly usable regardless of whether the operator is leftor right handed. The chair is easily and conveniently removed kfrom and inserted intoengagement with the base lmember on the noon-thus enabling it to be removed whenever desired.

inasmuch as most patrons chairs havehydraulic seat elevating and lowering means operated by a lever or handle, a suitable extension rod 4 may be carried by the above described barber chair for enabling the barber to reach the said seat elevating and lowering handle without leaving his chair.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in specic terms, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in size, shape, materials, method of motivation andl arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as claimed.

I claim.:

l. A seat for barbers, dentists and the like, including an arcuate base member constructed and arranged to be positioned around the seat of a patron, a vchair for an operator serving the patron, said chair having a seat and wheels therebeneath for supporting it and being movably disposed upon the base member, the latter having guide slots spaced apart for receiving and guidingthe wheels and thereby constraining said chair into arcuate movement on said base member, the latter also having an undercut slot, a steadying rod secured at one end to the chair seat and having the other end projecting shiftably into the undercut slot, and a retaining member movable in said undercut slot and secured to vthe other end of the steadying rod and being retained in said undercut slot throughout its path of movement therein and thereby constraining said steadying rod to continue projecting into said undercut slot in any shifted ,position of said steadying rod throughout the extent of said undercut slot.

2. A seat for barbers, dentists and the like, including anarcuate base member constructed and arranged to be ,positioned around the seat of a patron, a chair for an operator serving the patron, said chair having a seat and wheels therebeneath for supporting it and being movably disposed upon the base member, the latter having guide slots spaced apart for receivingr and guiding the wheels and thereby constraining said chair into arcuate movement on said base member, the latter also having an undercut slot, a steadying rod secured at one end to the chair seat and having the other end projecting shiftably into the undercut slot, a retaining member movable in said undercut slot and secured to the other end of the steadying rod and being retained in said undercut slotthroughout its path of movement therein and thereby constraining said steadying rod to continue projecting into said undercut slot in any shifted position of said steadying rodthroughout the extent or" said undercut slot, and a brush upon the lower portion of said retaining member accompanying the same in movement and serving to remove and prevent accumulations of dirt in said undercut slot.

3. A seat for barbers, dentists and the like, including an arcuate base member constructed and arranged to be positioned yaround the seat oi a patron to be serveoLa chair for an Ioperator serving the patron, said chair having a seat and Wheels therebeneath for supporting it and being movably disposed upon the base member, the latter having apair of arcuate guide slots spaced apart for receiving and guiding the wheels and thereby constraining said chair into arcuate movement on said base member, the latter also having an undercut arcuate slot intermediate said pair of rst-mentioned slots and being undei-cut in both sides thereof, a steadying rod having one end secured to an intermediate bottom portion of the seat of said chair and the other end projecting down into the further or REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number 6 "UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Robb Jan. 3, 1888 Hieber Dec. 31, 1901 Draper et al. Feb. 18, 1908 Griis Dec. '7, 1920 Seagrave June 13, 1922 Templeton May 27, 1930 Brosset Dec. 24, 1935 Jones Aug. 18, 1942 

